Small spots may appear on areas inside the mouth like the gums, cheeks, tongue, roof of the mouth, or even on the lips. These may be grey, light to dark brown or black – in any case, darker than the surroundings. More than one such spot can appear at a time or it could be a lone spot.
You may find dark colored spots in the mouth while looking in the mirror or your doctor may have noticed them while examining you. If you happen to notice any new spots or colored areas inside the mouth or on the lips, you must promptly discuss them with your dentist who will advise you if you need any further treatment or if they are harmless.
Sometimes these may be because you have inadvertently bitten causing a very small injury. This injury breaks the small blood vessels a little blood leaks under the surface. For outward appearance, this can be a small dark colored dot called a freckle or a blood blister.
If the spot is not getting darker or growing bigger with time, there is little to worry and not much needs be done about it. It could be a normal result of injury that will heal by itself in a short while. Any signs of pain, swelling or a change in color or size should be promptly brought to notice of your dentist, who will evaluate it.
Rarely, a black spot in the mouth, or any unusual, small area, darker than the surroundings could be an indication of a precancerous condition called melanoma or skin cancer. In such cases, it needs to be checked by a qualified physician. However, it is more often an incidence of benign (harmless) oral melanotic macule.
A small metal particle coming from a metal filling and getting stuck under the surface can show up as a black or grey spot anywhere inside the mouth. It’s called an amalgam tattoo and x-ray examination by your dentist will confirm the presence of any metal particle.